The Hemp Startup Journey

Spectrum Labs
The Hemp Startup Journey

I interview hemp and CBD oil entrepreneurs, scientists and politicians willing to share their perspectives, lessons learned and how we can make an impact on the hemp and cannabis industry for EVERYONE.

  1. 04/11/2021

    #28. Making Cannabis Industry Available to Everyone - with Brandon Banks of MCBA

    Self-taught cannabis cultivator and business owner, Brandon Banks, stands up for minority inclusion in the industry both as an individual and as a member of Minority Cannabis Business Association. Listen to his passionate journey of getting into the industry from growing sprouts in his basement to award-winning cannabis strains, and becoming a dispensary owner. Despite more state regulations being progressively created in the US, there are significant gaps on social equity and industry accessibility to minorities. Community reinvestment and license openings are just a couple of goals in the MCBA's work. Their members participate in policy creation to raise these matters and aim for more inclusive legal frameworks. You can get in touch with Brandon at brandonb@minoritycannabis.org or visit https://minoritycannabis.org/ to learn more. Who is Brandon Banks? Brandon Banks is a member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, the Co-Founder and former Chief Operating Officer of Natural Selections Dispensary in Northglenn Colorado. After years of working for several fortune 500 companies including McDonald’s Co, JP Morgan Chase, and Philip Morris, Brandon moved to Colorado and transitioned to the medical marijuana industry. Beginning his career as a master grower he cultivated several award-winning cannabis strains during his time at Green Man Cannabis including High Times Cannabis Cup winning genetics.   About Spectrum Labs At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use. Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Tinctures *Gummies *Lotions *Custom formulations To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC ***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!

    28 min
  2. 03/26/2021

    #27. Helping Law Enforcement Understand The Differences Between Hemp and Cannabis - with Bill Loucks of Hemp Cops

    Our conversation with Bill Loucks went around the perception cops have on hemp and cannabis, how consumers and businesses in the industry can contribute to a safer use and what further is there to do about a broader awareness of hemp. Bill started with a couple stories that led to his mindset switch from regarding hemp as a dangerous substance to becoming a commodity. Moving on, Bill shared his view on law enforcement pointing out that most police officers are unaware of the difference between hemp and cannabis, which leads to confusion and also strengthens stereotypes. Following the latter, he listed best practice tips for consumers and businesses in the hemp industry, to support the authorities to determine the legality of the product being used or manufactured. For growers, he explained why it is important to communicate with the police on harvest season. Bill finished with his consideration on the next step in the transition to greater social acceptance around hemp-derived products. You can reach out to Bill at www.HempCops.com or Bill@hempcops.com to get further guidance and information on training programs. Who is William "Bill" Loucks? Bill is currently an instructor/course developer for the North Carolina Department of Justice-Justice Academy (NCJA) in Edneyville, North Carolina. Bill is the North Carolina state school director for the prescription drug diversion investigator and supervisors commissioned courses. Bill is also the qualified assistant (Q.A.) state school director over the specialized explosives & hazardous materials commissioned course. Bill currently develops narcotic and gang lesson plans for the North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) and in-service training for the 35,000 plus sworn law enforcement officers in NC. He also develops and instructs various narcotics courses for NCJA. Bill is a sworn deputy (reserve) with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office in NC. He is also an associate board member for the International Narcotics Interdiction Association (INIA). Bill has instructed more than 6000 people in narcotics, clandestine lab, and gang issues to include judges, district attorneys, grand juries, community leaders, educators, doctors, nurses, and police and fire personnel.   About Spectrum Labs At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use. Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Tinctures *Gummies *Lotions *Custom formulations To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC ***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!

    1h 15m
  3. 03/18/2021

    #26. How can we get our CBD business to stand out from the other 2,999 Competitors? - with Mike Michalowicz

    There are approximately 3,000 CBD brands in the United States; how do you stand out in such a large crowd? Best-selling business author Mike Michalowicz joined us to shed a light on differentiating your business, one particular frustration for many hemp entrepreneurs. From systematizing our business, to taking on the courage to be different than the competition, Mike shares advice for those seeking to turn their brands into unique players in their field. Spoiler alert: you may start with something really small, you don't have to re-invent your industry. For exclusive resources from Mike to our podcast listeners go here. Mike's new book Get Different will launch in September and can be found here.   Who is Mike Michalowicz? Mike Michalowicz is the entrepreneur behind three multimillion dollar companies and is the author of Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan, and his newest book, Fix This Next. Mike is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and regularly travels the globe as as an entrepreneurial advocate. To learn more about Mike and get access to a treasure trove of entrepreneurial tips, visit www.MikeMichalowicz.com.   About Spectrum Labs At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use. Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Tinctures *Gummies *Lotions *Custom formulations To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC ***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!

    25 min
  4. 03/08/2021

    #25. How Building Community Can Create a Great Cannabis Brand - with Ladies of Paradise

    Creativity and Cannabis go together. In this episode, Jade and Harlee, owners of Ladies of Paradise and Lady Jays prove the point. They use branding, unique events, and their own line of smokables to make people, especially women, feel comfortable with consumption of cannabis. Learn how Jade and Harlee do really cool branding that gets people talking and sharing their message. The Ladies shared their perspective on industrial hemp for the future, and how positioning themselves with hemp today is strategic to take on upcoming opportunities arising from new regulations. The conversation wrapped up with a brief story highlighting how their business has taken part in opportunities for giving back to society. Get in touch with Ladies of Paradise at: Web: Ladies of Paradise / Lady Jays Instagram: @ladiesofparadise @smokeladyjays @heyjadehey @harleecase   What is Ladies of Paradise? Jade Daniels, CEO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays Harlee Case, COO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays Ladies of Paradise is a women-positive creative agency based in Portland, Oregon, where women are appreciated, celebrated and supported. Currently, LoP offers cannabis event planning services, graphic design, packaging, creative content development, educational meetups, and product lines ranging from clothing to CBD products, as well as the new LoP cannabis and hemp CBD & CBG pre-rolls, Lady Jays. LoP works to uplift, unite, and educate individuals in an effort to normalize cannabis by means of fashion, community and culture. Through their themed cannabis events and community of women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, LoP aims to elevate the aesthetic and remove the stigma from cannabis and the people who make up this community.   About Spectrum Labs At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use. Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Tinctures *Gummies *Lotions *Custom formulations To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC ***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!

    39 min
  5. 02/26/2021

    #24. The Surprising Risks of Marketing CBD Products - with Asa Waldstein

    In this engaging conversation with FDA compliance expert Asa Waldstein, we discuss how to avoid a FDA warning letter which surprisingly goes way beyond what businesses state on a product label. We cover best practices for CBD company social media managers, effective marketing messages with lower risk language, dos and don'ts of reposting and hashtags, mitigating compliance risk, avoiding making CBD health claims and how to market your products instead. You will find out what it means for Asa to Create Authentic Excitement in your differentiation strategy and the peace of mind you may get from it. We also discuss cGMP compliance and Asa's recommendations for Spectrum Labs' GMP accreditation journey. You may connect with Asa on his LinkedIn and website. Read more about the Warning Letter Review blog post referenced in this episode.   Who is Asa Waldstein? Founder & Principal: Supplement Advisory Group American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Cannabis Committee Chair Asa Waldstein is a Certified Clinical Herbalist (CCH) with 20 years of experience developing and implementing compliant marketing and cGMP manufacturing processes in the dietary supplement and hemp industries. Asa has formulated, manufactured, and marketed hundreds of products in a compliant manner and has helped oversee three FDA CFR 111 audits without any 483s. Asa is Chair of AHPA's (American Herbal Products Association) Cannabis Committee. He is also founder and principal of the consulting company Supplement Advisory Group and his Regulatory Education Series platform hosts free events for the community on FDA/FTC enforcement trend analysis, social media marketing principles, and manufacturing efficiency principles.   About Spectrum Labs At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use. Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Tinctures *Gummies *Lotions *Custom formulations To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC ***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!

    1h 4m
4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

I interview hemp and CBD oil entrepreneurs, scientists and politicians willing to share their perspectives, lessons learned and how we can make an impact on the hemp and cannabis industry for EVERYONE.

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